Smart Steps - Service Contract (Effective as of August 29, 2016)

This contract gives permission for care and holds harmless Smart Steps Children’s Centers, LLC, Smart Steps Children’s Centers @ Penn Square, LLC, and all other companies that begin with the name “Smart Steps”(hereafter referred to as Smart Steps) its employees, administrators, and partnering entities from all liability resulting from care offered. Similarly, it releases from liability the center and the above named persons, programs, and partnering businesses from liability resulting from injury, incident or accident due to use of Smart Steps Childcare center -owned, - contracted, -leased or -rented vehicles, used for the purpose of transporting students or equipment used by Smart Steps Childcare Center participants. This contract gives permission for Smart Steps to pursue contracted sponsors (parents/guardians) for unpaid charges, penalties and fees including but not limited to tuition, activity fees, late fees, court costs, and all other costs resulting from such legal action. This contract cannot be revoked unless written agreement is made between all sponsors and Smart Steps. Signatures included on this version of the service contract agree to the terms of future updated contracts. Terms subject to change without notice.

Student Information

Name: ______SSN: ______DOB: ______Sex:______
Home Address: ______Zip Code: ______
Home Telephone: ______Alternate Contact Number: ______

Parent/Sponsor Information

Guardian/Mother’s Full Name: ______SSN: ______
Address: ______
Home Telephone: ______Alternate Telephone: ______
Employer/School : ______Title: ______
Work Telephone: ______Address: ______
Email Address: ______
Guardian/Father’s Full Name: ______SSN: ______
Address: ______
Home Telephone: ______Alternate Telephone: ______
Employer/School : ______Title: ______
Work Telephone: ______Address: ______
Email Address: ______

Permission to Pick-Up: Please list the names of persons that have permission to pick-up your child: ______

Unauthorized Contact: Please list any persons unauthorized to visit or retrieve your child from care: ______

Allergies/Special Needs: Smart Steps is required to serve milk at every meal. If your child has an allergy to food or milk, you will be required to provide an alternate for him/her. ______

Exclusion from Care: By order of BCHD, Smart Steps cannot provide care to children that exhibit signs/symptoms of communicable disease. Students will not be able to return to care until after the period of communicability. The cost for your child’s space will be charged at the regular rate during medical exclusion. Parents called for sick child pick up must arrive within one hour to avoid permanent termination of care.

Closing Policy: Smart Steps follows Baltimore City Public School schedules for weather related emergencies. Parents are responsible for 50% of the cost of care during weather related closings. Smart Steps is also closed for the following PAID holidays: New Year’s Day, Dr. MLK’s Birthday Observance Day, Labor Day, Memorial Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Eve. If either of the above days falls on a weekend, then the holiday will be celebrated either the Friday/Monday before/after. Center closing for non-holiday and non-weather related emergencies signify center vacation days, and the cost of each of these periods is charged at the full rate of care, unless otherwise noted in writing. (Drop off time: On open days, all children must enter care prior to 8:30 AM at all sites.)

Registration Fees: All families are required to pay an annual registration fee (childcare and/or camp) in order to enter or continue care. Fees are due at the beginning of each program (June for camp and August/September for academic programs). Fees for care are used to cover the registration process. Fees for camp are used to cover the cost of all trips and swimming. Fees are charged per child. Students returning to care after more than 30 days are required to re-register for care. This does not apply to camp fees if previously paid for the session entered. Students that enter camp after the start date ARE required to pay the full camp registration fee. Students that enter camp and care for the first time are required to pay both registration fees since one is only charged to cover camp enrichment activities.

Payment Schedule/Fees: Smart Steps charges the following fees for care: Payments are due on Mondays before care is offered. Late payments are charged a fee of $5 per day. Payments not received by Wednesday will result in suspension of care. Suspension from care does not terminate the payment obligation listed in this contract. Smart Steps reserves the right to pursue legal action and to notify credit reporting agencies of non-payment. Smart Steps will pursue parents for non-payment of fees and parents assume full responsibility for all costs related to the pursuit of fees including but not limited to care, legal fees, and any additional costs incurred in that process. Smart Steps will also notify DSS (if applicable) in reference to non-payment of childcare fees and co-payments. Payment is due regardless of absence or suspension status. A written 5-day notice must be given for termination of care. Payments may be made by check, money order, credit or debit card (if offered). No cash is accepted on site.

Program Type / @ Pimlico Road / @ Penn Square Apartments / @ Roots & Branches Charter School / @ KIPP Baltimore / @ Hilton Elementary / @ Callaway Elementary
Infant & Toddler Care (ages 6 weeks-24 months) FULL TIME ONLY / n/a / $225/ week / n/a / n/a / n/a / n/a
Full Day care (more than 5 hours/day) & Summer, Winter & Spring “Camp” Program & School Closing Care / $130/ week / 130/ week / 130/ week / 130/ week / 130/ week / 130/ week
Before Care Only (2 hours or less) / $30/week / $30week / $30/week / Not Offered / $30/ week / $30/ week
Aftercare Only (less than 5 hours/day) / $80/week / $80/week / $80/week / $80/week / $80/week / $80/week
Before & After Care Combination / $85/week / $85/week / $85/week / Not Offered / $85/week / $85/week
School to Center/Center to School Transportation / $20/week per direction / Not offered at this site / Not offered at school based sites / Not offered at school based sites / Not offered at school based sites / Not offered at school based sites
Drop-In / Per Day Care (Full Day- more than 5 hours)
Pre-registration is required! / $35/day / $35/day / $35/day / $35/day / $35/day / $35/day
Drop-In / Per Day Care (Part Time – less than 5 hours)-
AFTERCARE ONLY / $20/day / $25/day / $25/day
($35 on Wednesdays) / $20/day / $20/ day / $20/ day
School Closing Extended Care
This rate is charged in addition to regular weekly aftercare rate when schools are closed for staff development or holidays. Students who do not use such care are not billed. / $15/day in addition to aftercare fee / $15/day in addition to aftercare fee / $15/day in addition to aftercare fee / $15/day in addition to aftercare fee / $15/day in addition to aftercare fee / $15/day in addition to aftercare fee

Grant Funded/Scholarship Slots: Students that receive subsidies from grant funded programs and/or scholarships are required to pay for all costs not associated with such funding (including but not limited to late pick up fees, trip fees, uniforms and any other programmatic costs).

Pictures: Smart Steps records its programs and activities via flash/digital photography and video. These images may be used for publications and /or web sites. Your signature below confirms your acceptance.

Late Pick-Up Fees: Five minutes after the center closes, Smart Steps charges a fee of $15. An additional $15 is charged 15 minutes, 30 minutes and 45 minutes after closing. Payments are due within 3 calendar days to avoid suspension of care. Repeated occurrences of lateness may result in termination of care. Sponsors are required to sign the late pick up book at the time of late pick-up. Non-payment of late charges may result in suspension status. On days when Smart Steps alters its schedule due to weather-related emergencies, late fee charges begin 5 minutes after closing and increase at :15 , :30, & :45 after the closing time.

Discipline Policy: Positive reinforcement is the discipline policy that is used by Smart Steps. Students that exhibit negative or unsafe behavior will be taken through the following steps (1) time-out in the classroom with his/her group (2) time-out outside of the classroom without his/her group (3) parent notification (4) suspension (5) expulsion. In the event that a behavior that is threatening to self or others, some steps listed above may be surpassed in order to ensure student safety. Disciplinary suspensions do not reduce charges for space, care or services.

Surveillance Cameras: Smart Steps sites may be equipped with surveillance cameras in order to ensure the health and safety of its staff, students and families.

Supplies: Parents are required to ensure that students have the required supplies daily. Preschool students will not be admitted to care without sheets for nap time, changes of clothes and disposable diapers/underwear. Smart Steps is not responsible for lost or stolen items. Please clearly label all student belongings.

Trips/Neighborhood Walks: Your signature below gives permission for your child to participate in trips and neighborhood walks. It also acts as a substitute signature in the event that a trip specific permission slip is not available, and adheres to the same level of permission and waivers of liability listed in that permission slip. Children not participating in trips may be denied care on the day of a trip to ensure adequate supervision.

Transportation: Smart Steps provides transportation as a courtesy service to its families. Parents that utilize this paid service do so with the understanding that they hold harmless Smart Steps, its vehicles (owned, leased and contracted), staff, and volunteers for any incidents or accidents that occur while utilizing such service. All parents of children that are required by law to be placed in car/booster seat must provide a seat for daily use. Transportation fees apply despite absence from service, non-usage or cancellation of service. Such fees are due on a weekly basis and follow the same late payment penalties as unpaid care balances.

Uniforms: All preschool students (not enrolled in another school) are required to be in full uniform during the regular educational program. Uniform costs are separate from childcare costs and can be purchased onsite.

Termination of care: Care can be terminated by either party with a 5-day written notice of termination. In the event that the 5-day notice is not given, the cost for the remaining 5 days of care is still due by the parent. The center may terminate care immediately if the reason for termination of care is a result of health and safety concerns for the staff, student, or other center program participants. In the event of such termination, the full cost for the final week of care is still due.

Relationship: mother/father/guardian Printed Name: ______Signature: ______Date: ______

Relationship: mother/father/guardian Printed Name: ______Signature: ______Date: ______

Center Representative: ______Printed Name: ______Signature: ______Date: ______